High turnout observed in French presidential election
{{date|April 22, 2007}}
{{missing image|Image:French presidential elections 2007 Paris Place dItalie 12 candidates.jpg|right|thumb|The official campaign posters for the 12 candidates {{Image source|[[Commons:User:David.Monniaux|David Monniaux]]}}}}
As voting began in the first round of the [[2007 French presidential election|presidential elections]], [[France|French]] voters showed up at polling stations at a brisk pace on Sunday. The {{w|Minister of the Interior (France)|Interior Ministry}} reported that by noon local time, turnout had reached 31.2%, a level not seen since 1981 and ten percent higher than the last election for {{w|President of France}}.

Voting stations were to begin closing at 6:00 p.m., but those in large cities will be open until 8:00 p.m. Initial projections are expected to be published at that time, based on a partial count of votes from hundreds of stations around the country.

Romain Pinault, an election official at a school in [[Paris]]' eighth district, told ''[[Associated Press]]'' a second voting station was added to handle the extra voters, "The participation rate [at this location] is about 30 percent more than five years ago."

[[Nicolas Sarkozy|Nicolas Sarkozy]] of the [[Union for a Popular Movement|UMP]] and [[Ségolène Royal|Ségolène Royal]] of the [[Socialist Party (France)|Socialist Party]] are considered the frontrunners. But the latest opinion polls suggested a third of the 44.5 million registered voters were still not sure of their choice, lending hope to third-placed candidate [[François Bayrou]] ([[Union for French Democracy|UDF]]) and to [[w:Jean-Marie Le Pen|Jean-Marie Le Pen]] ({{w|National Front (France)|National Front}}), whom most polls had in fourth.  

One of the reasons for the high turnout seems to be that there are 3.3 million newly registered voters, many from lower-income immigrant neighborhoods, many of which saw {{w|2005 civil unrest in France|civil unrest in 2005}}. Nicolas Sarkozy was interior minister at the time and was criticized for his handling of the situation.

Local Socialist leader Ali Romdhane, who led a campaign drive in such a neighborhood, told the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', "In a way, Sarkozy helped us. Our slogan was, 'Vote instead of vandalize.' We told the young people that their strength rested in their voter identification card. And they are the ones who are going to make the difference."

If a candidate receives a majority of the vote in this round, the election is over. However, polls suggest that is an unlikely outcome. The second round will be between the two leading candidates from today's vote and will take place on Sunday, May 6, 2007. This is the ninth presidential election of the {{w|French Fifth Republic}}.

{{update|Sarkozy and Royal go ahead to second round}}

==Related news==
*{{wikinews|title=2007 French presidential elections: Ségolène Royal calls for gentle reforms|date=April 15, 2007}}
*{{wikinews|title=French presidential candidate Sarkozy accuses left parties of betraying left values|date=April 14, 2007}}
*{{wikinews|title=Jacques Chirac announces he will not pursue a third Presidential mandate|date=March 11, 2007}}

==Sources==
{{wikipediapar|French presidential election, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/22/AR2007042200196.html?hpid=moreheadlines
|title=High Turnout Seen in French Election
|author=Angela Charlton, AP
|pub=Washington Post
|date=April 22, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL2067415220070422
|title=French flock to vote in presidential election
|author=Swaha Pattanaik
|pub=Reuters
|date=April 22, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-france22apr22,1,2010031.story?coll=la-headlines-world
|title=French slums key to presidential vote?
|author=Sebastian Rotella
|pub=Los Angeles Times
|date=April 22, 2007}}

{{Publish}}
{{Archive-unreviewed}}
[[ Category:2007 French presidential election]]
[[Category:Elections]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:France]]
[[Category:Union for French Democracy]]
[[Category:Socialist Party (France)]]
[[Category:François Bayrou]]
[[Category:Jean-Marie Le Pen]]
[[Category:Ségolène Royal]]
[[Category:Nicolas Sarkozy]]

[[fr:Élection présidentielle française de 2007 : forte hausse de la participation à midi]]
As voting began in the first round of the presidential elections, French voters showed up at polling stations at a brisk pace on Sunday. The Interior Ministry reported that by noon local time, turnout had reached 31.2%, a level not seen since 1981 and ten percent higher than the last election for .

Voting stations were to begin closing at 6:00 p.m., but those in large cities will be open until 8:00 p.m. Initial projections are expected to be published at that time, based on a partial count of votes from hundreds of stations around the country.

Romain Pinault, an election official at a school in Paris' eighth district, told Associated Press a second voting station was added to handle the extra voters, "The participation rate at this location is about 30 percent more than five years ago."

Nicolas Sarkozy of the UMP and Ségolène Royal of the Socialist Party are considered the frontrunners. But the latest opinion polls suggested a third of the 44.5 million registered voters were still not sure of their choice, lending hope to third-placed candidate François Bayrou (UDF) and to Jean-Marie Le Pen (National Front), whom most polls had in fourth.  

One of the reasons for the high turnout seems to be that there are 3.3 million newly registered voters, many from lower-income immigrant neighborhoods, many of which saw civil unrest in 2005. Nicolas Sarkozy was interior minister at the time and was criticized for his handling of the situation.

Local Socialist leader Ali Romdhane, who led a campaign drive in such a neighborhood, told the Los Angeles Times, "In a way, Sarkozy helped us. Our slogan was, 'Vote instead of vandalize.' We told the young people that their strength rested in their voter identification card. And they are the ones who are going to make the difference."

If a candidate receives a majority of the vote in this round, the election is over. However, polls suggest that is an unlikely outcome. The second round will be between the two leading candidates from today's vote and will take place on Sunday, May 6, 2007. This is the ninth presidential election of the .

 Category:2007 French presidential election

fr:Élection présidentielle française de 2007 : forte hausse de la participation à midi
Elections Politics and conflicts Europe France Union for French Democracy Socialist Party (France) François Bayrou Jean-Marie Le Pen Ségolène Royal Nicolas Sarkozy